Complete Guide to Extract Text from PDF Documents

Summary: A lawyer wants to extract specific sections from hundreds of pages in PDF format. This may include clauses and references relevant to the case. So, how does the lawyer extract text from PDF file efficiently? There are multiple solutions to proceed with this process. Solutions are either manually done or with the help of the PDF Data Extraction Tool. This blog will help users learn the most reliable and effective solutions for this extraction process. Continue to read this blog to understand both manual and automated methods. 

PDF (Portable Document Format) is a digital file format. It preserves the fixed layout of the document across different devices and platforms. Hence, it is used for record-keeping, sharing, and printing.

Why is there a Need to Get Text from PDF?

PDF text extraction is essential when processing data in bulk. When users extract text from a PDF File, it becomes easier to organize and analyze the data. The following are some of the reasons why it’s important:

• Extracting texts from PDFs makes it easier for researchers and scholars to retrieve relevant content from articles for their projects.
• Once the text is extracted and saved, users can easily find the important information within large documents.
• Researchers extract text from a PDF File to compare data from various sources and analyze it to explore trends.
• Working professionals in fields such as law, finance, and data science extract texts from multiple PDFs for bulk data collection.
• Getting texts from PDFs helps users quickly find the important information, saving time and avoiding errors.

How to Extract Text from PDF Documents?

Users extracting text from a PDF can do so manually using the Preview app on macOS and using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC. Another option is to use a secure automated converter tool. The choice depends on the PDF document’s size and complexity.

Manual Method 1: Extract Content from PDF Using the Preview app 

Preview is the built-in PDF Viewer application on macOS. It allows users to copy text directly from the PDF. The process is easy, simple, and straightforward.

Use these steps to begin PDF text extraction:

1. Right-click on the PDF file and choose Open with > Preview.
2. Now, select the text that you want to copy. Then, right-click on it and choose Copy.
3. Open any text editor on your Mac system and press Command+V to paste the text into it.
4. Lastly, save the document. 

Drawback: This method will not work if your PDF File is a scanned image or a photo of text. It works only with the PDFs containing selectable text. 

Manual Method 2: Extract Text from Scanned PDF 

There are two approaches that the user can follow to pull text from a scanned PDF file. Take a look:

Approach 1: Using Preview + Live Text

A scanned PDF is a digital image. It does not contain selectable or searchable text. Therefore, we use OCR (Optical Character Recognition) that transforms image-based text into an editable text format. This process will only work if your macOS supports Live Text.

Follow these steps to start extracting text from an image-based PDF File:

1. Open the PDF File in the Preview app on your macOS system.
2. Select the text from the PDF File.
3. Right-click on the highlighted text and choose Copy.
4. Then, open TextEdit and press Command+V to paste the text.

Drawbacks: The method is time-consuming and tedious. Manually doing copy-paste for large files takes a lot of effort. The copied text may not retain the original formatting.  

Approach 2: Using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

Adobe Acrobat Pro DC provides advanced OCR capabilities that convert scanned PDFs into selectable and searchable PDFs. 

These are the steps to perform the extraction:

1. Launch and open Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.
2. Go to File > Open. Find and select the PDF File.
3. Now, navigate to Tools > Scan & OCR.
4. Then, click on Recognize Text and select In This File…
5. Once the scanning process is done, you can now select, copy, and paste the text into any text editor.  

Drawbacks: Adobe Acrobat Pro DC is a paid version. OCR accuracy depends on the quality of your scanned PDF. 

Advanced Software to Extract Text from PDF Documents

The PDF Data Extraction Tool is especially designed for PDF content extraction. It allows users to extract content from PDF documents effortlessly. Besides extracting text from a PDF file, it is also capable of extracting images and fonts. Users can also process the files in batches while automatically skipping the duplicates. Moreover, users can also specify page ranges, unlock the protected PDFs, and preview the content before extraction. 

Quick steps to get text from PDF:

1. Run the software as an administrator.
2. Use the Add File button to find and select the desired PDF File.
3. Now, navigate to Check PDF Preview and select Preview Text.
4. Next, in the Data Extraction Filter, choose Text and Save Text into > Text.
5. Then, select the Page Filter as per your need.
6. Enable Skip previously processed data.
7. Lastly, click Extract to start the process. 

Also Read – Extract Email Addresses from PDF

Conclusion

Many users extract text from PDF document for faster access to important information and data collection. This blog has addressed all the effective and reliable methods by which the PDF text extraction is possible. Manual extractions are simple but have a few limitations. Whereas, the automated tool ensures faster, accurate, and error-free results. Due to its advanced features, the tool is recommended by experts and businesses.

Frequently Asked Questions

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